we'll bring in dana here. we know there's progress made, but there's a sticking point that you had mentioned as well. that is about the automatic spending cuts that are scheduled to kick in, and na democrats and republicans have a different sense of when they should deal with that. explain what that's about. >> i will, suzanne. if i may before i get to that, i just want to tell our viewers that i now have confirmation from a republican aide here in the senate of what jessica first reported earlier today. it's that they seem to have agreement on a major issue, which are those tax rates, where they should go. as jessica reported, the tax rates are at $450,000 for households, $400,000 for individuals. what i mean by that, of course, tax cuts that are currently in place right now, they'll stay in place up until those thresholds. above that they go away. there will be tax increases, at least that's how many see them. that, again, has been agreed to by republicans according to a senior republican aide as well as the